Part 1
The chirping of birds woke him. A clear and pure sound—so unlike the noise of the city—that, for a moment, it felt unreal.
In the distance, Yuna was already up. Her figure stood against the horizon, green hair gently swaying, seeming to blend into the forest itself.
Haruto watched her in silence. She belonged there, as if she were part of that world.
"Good morning," he murmured, his voice still rough as he stretched.
She turned with a calm smile, a perfect reflection of the surroundings.
"Good morning, Haruto. How do you feel?"
"Surprisingly good," he replied, letting out a breath as he gazed at the towering trees—like living columns. "Everything here... feels more alive."
"This place is blessed by nature," she said with serene reverence. "But where there is beauty, there is also danger."
She pointed to a path that vanished between the trees.
"We must keep going. My village isn't far, but there's still some way to go."
Haruto nodded, and without another word, they gathered their things and resumed their journey.
With every step, the forest seemed to awaken alongside them. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, drawing patterns of light across the ground. The breeze carried whispers and distant songs—but also something else… a feeling he couldn't quite explain.
"Yuna," he broke the silence. "Yesterday you said Mizuki brought me here because the world needs change... but why me?"
"I'm not a warrior. I'm not special. Just a lonely guy who used to read second-hand manga."
Yuna stopped. She looked at him with calm eyes filled with purpose, as if searching for something within him.
"I don't know what those 'manga' are," she said gently, "Even the greatest heroes didn't start out great."
Her tone was soft, but her voice carried a firm conviction that allowed no doubt.
"Mizuki never chooses at random. What you see in yourself now isn't what she saw."
She paused, weighing her words.
"There's something in you. Something you don't understand yet... but it's there, waiting to awaken."
She turned toward a young tree, its leaves dancing with the wind.
"You're like this tree. Sometimes, all it takes is the right wind to grow taller, stronger... with roots that run deep."
Yuna's words struck a chord. Haruto looked at the tree in silence. Maybe she was right. Maybe—even he—could one day bloom.
She kept her gaze on the leaves, as if seeing something beyond them.
"Haruto," she said, hesitating for a moment, "there's something in you that reminds me of..."
She stopped herself, gently shook her head.
"Forget it. It doesn't matter. Let's keep moving."
Silence returned, but it wasn't the same. It was heavier now—full of thoughts and memories.
Yuna walked, but her mind drifted back to a morning just like this. She had been only four years old. Sunlight filtered through the trees, and her mother held her in a warm embrace.
"Daddy says I'm a spring wind. Why?"
"Because you were born on a night with a full moon," her mother replied softly.
"A bright, serene night. The goddess Mizuki blessed us that night. That's why you bear her name."
Little Yuna tilted her head, eyes glowing with curiosity.
"Daddy says it must be destiny, and that Mizuki never makes mistakes."
"That's right," her mother said tenderly. "Your father is wise."
She looked up at the sky, as if she could see beyond time.
"One day, she will send someone from another world."
"Someone who will bring the change Celestaris so desperately needs." "
"I'm sure your paths will cross... and together, you'll guide this world toward a better future."
"Will it be dificult, mommy?" the little girl asked, her voice full of innocence.
"Yes, my child,"
"It won't be easy." "
But when that moment comes, you'll know. You'll feel it here—" she placed her hand over the girl's chest, "as if you'd been waiting for that person all along."
"Yuna promises to become the strongest in the whole village!" she declared with a determined smile.
That memory remained etched in her heart like an unbreakable promise. Her mother's words still echoed with the same strength—full of hope and certainty.
What if that moment had come?
What if Haruto was the one?
The thought sent a chill down her spine... but she couldn't speak of it. Not yet. Destiny had its own pace.
Yuna blinked, brushing the memory aside like chasing away a shadow. She returned to the present.
Haruto's voice pulled her out of that distant echo.
"Maybe you're right," he murmured thoughtfully. "Maybe this place will give me a chance to become better."
Yuna looked at him. There was something new in his voice—a seed of determination. A spark she hadn't seen before.
"It will," she finally said, offering a warm but steady smile.
"But remember: wanting to change isn't enough. You have to fight for it. This world is full of challenges, and the road won't be easy."
She paused, as if weighing the gravity of her own words.
"But you don't have to face it alone. I'm here to help you."
Haruto nodded. Her words struck him like a revelation. They weren't just comfort—they were truth.
This wasn't a game.
Or a dream.
Here, everything had consequences.
"Thank you, Yuna," he said with a sincere smile. For the first time since his arrival, something inside him began to shift.
She nodded gently and turned her gaze back to the path.
"There's still a way to go. Once we arrive, we'll speak with my father. He'll know how to guide you."
They walked in silence for a few minutes but the restlessness within him only grew.
Magic.
The power he had seen in Yuna—it was impossible to ignore.
He drew a deep breath. And at last, he spoke.
"Yuna... would you teach me how to use magic?"
She stopped, surprised by the question. Her eyes met his—and in them, she found something unexpected: a decision already made.
As if, from that very moment, there was no turning back.